Thigh Slapping RFC Songs

Hello The Forum. Im sure your a lyrical bunch in which case I could dearly enlist your help.Im trying to collect RFC songs, of which Im sure their are many. Although Im finding them as hard to track down as wrestling a greased up Boche in No-Mans land. Any Assistance would be most gratefully appreciated, thank you.

A good place to begin is a book by Robert Harrison, AVIATION LORE IN FAULKER (Philadelphia, John Benjamins, 1985. In late 1918 or early 1919 either AEROPLANE or FLIGHT published (over several issues) flying service songs - have you any meaningful access to these old magazines ?

[Vigilant]

The classic RFC song appears regularly in the quote section of this page.

"Take the cylinders out of my kidneys etc..."

Although the original was somewhat cruder!

Vig.

Hugh. Thank you very much for your reply, I really do appreciate it. You asked if I had any meaningful access to the magazines you spoke of, well unfortunately no I dont. So far the best source I have to say is the film Aces High, which has the bonus of accompanying music.
If your wondering Im so interested in the RFC songs, its because they help to bring alive the often cold and detached historical subject of WWI aviation. Its always important to remember the human aspect. The songs of the RFC wonderfully encapsulate the character of the aviators in a way which alot of other sources never will.
So any further information would help,
thanks again David B Gallagher

[Darryl]

This one originated in WW1 as far as I know but carried into the second war:

Stand to you glasses steady,
This world is a world of lies,
A toast to the dead already
And hurrah for the next man to die,

The tune I have heard it put to could best be described as "three o'clock in the morning drunken football song"

You have, of course, the couple which appear at random amongst the quotes at the top of the Forum page?

regards

Darryl

[Kirby]

The first part of the song posted by Killratio goes:

Betrayed by the nation that bore us,
Forgotten by those we hold dear;
The good have all gone before us,
And only the evil are here.

[PeterL]

And IIRC the song mentioned in the two previous submissions can be heared in "Dawn Patrol", a dreadful film which I none the less watch time and time again.

Peter L

Interestingly enough the favorite song of the 56th RFC was from America's "Tin Pan Alley": "The Dark Town Strutters Ball". (As per Alex Revell's High in the Empty Blue). Regards, Lee.

Who was the alto-tenor in "The Dawn Patrol" (ca.
1938 Warner Bros. with Flynn & Niven not the prior cine with R. Barthelmess ) that sang "Hurrah" ??? He had a superb voice. I'll try to answer my own query from other sources, now you've broached the subject.

David
You might try The Society of Friends, RAF Museum,
Grahame Park Way, London NW9 5LL for a start.
Good luck.